Cheteshwar Pujara predicts R Ashwin snub for 3rd BGT Test, makes passionate case for young IND star to play at the Gabba

Cheteshwar Pujara said that Ravichandran Ashwin could be benched for the third Test if India feel their batting needs to be reinforced.

Cheteshwar Pujara has said that India should give Harshit Rana another chance and said that the change they could make ahead of the 3rd Test against Australia at the Gabba could be to bring back Washington Sundar in place of Ravichandran Ashwin. India's batting fell flat in the second Test at Adelaide which they lost by 10 wickets while the only fast bowler who was consistently threatening was Jasprit Bumrah, despite Mohammed Siraj taking four wickets in the first innings.

Ravichandran Ashwin had scored a counter-attacking 22 in the first Indian innings in the pink-ball Test

Rana in particularly went wicketless and conceded 86 runs in the Australian first innings. He didn't bowl at all in the second, in which Australia needed just 19 runs to win and chased it down in 3.2 overs. Pujara feels that Rana should still be played at the Gabba as he had performed well in the first Test.

“I feel only one change might happen. Since the batting wasn't good, Washington Sundar can come in place of R Ashwin. Should someone come in place of Harshit Rana? In my opinion, no. You backed him and he performed well in the first match," said Pujara on Star Sports.

'Can't drop him just because one match went bad'

The 22-year-old made his international debut in the first Test. He recorded figures of 3/48 in the first innings and 1/69 in the second as India won by 295 runs. “He is a good bowler. You cannot drop him just because one match went bad. Probably the only change for me would be Sundar for Ashwin if the team feels the batting lineup needs strengthening.”

Meanwhile, Ravichandran Ashwin sat out the first Test for Washington Sundar. Sundar was out for just four runs and only bowled two overs in the first innings. He then made a handy 29 runs in the second Indian innings and then bowled 15 overs to take two wickets. Ashwin came back into the squad for the second Test. and scored a counter-attacking 22 in the first Indian innings. He then returned figures of 1/53 with Travis Head especially taking a liking to him but then scored just seven runs in the second Indian innings.